A Return to the Secret Garden
by Stephanie Potter
Summary: After four years at a refining school, Mary returns to Misselthwaite, very much a lady. A lot can change in four years, as the three friends discover.
1. Chapter One

**Disclaimer:** I own none of the character that you originally saw in The Secret Garden. The only think I own are any new characters and the plot.

Mary Lennox smoothed out the non-existent wrinkles on her emerald-green dress for the hundredth time and cast an impatient glance out of the somewhat dusty window of the carriage. All she could see was moor. More and more moor. She was reminded of the time when she first arrived at Misselthwaite. How she had hated the moors. She was beginning to feel some of the same distaste for them; she didn't want to see anymore moor. She wanted to see Dickon, Colin, her uncle, Martha, heck; even the sight of Mrs. Metlock would bring a smile to her sixteen year old face.

It'd been two very long, tedious years since Mary had cast her dark brown eyes on her family and friends from Yorkshire. When Mary turned twelve, her uncle was finally persuaded by Mrs. Metlock to send her to a Lady Refining school, much to his niece's horror. Mary was literally dragged into the carriage that summer, tears running down her cheeks, her throat hoarse with screaming and crying, and she was quite sure she'd bruised Thomas, her uncle's second butler as he carried her into the carriage. Colin, too, was being restrained by his father; he was just as upset about this as Mary, perhaps even more. Dickon, on the other hand, controlled himself. He was heartbroken that Mary was leaving for an entire year, but it wasn't in his nature to throw a tantrum.

The next summer Mary came home. There wasn't much change in her except the occasional excess of manners, and her quick and skillful talents at the dinner table. Much to Dickon's delight, though, Mary was still his. He could still read her mind just as before. Around the adults she tried to act proper, but when it was just him and Colin, she was the usual snappy, light humored lass as before. At the request of Archibald Craven, Dickon was to receive schooling along side Colin. Dickon wasn't sure what to make of it at first, but over time, he found that he was rather partial to the written word. Colin, on the other hand, wanted nothing more than to be away from books and riding horses, or running around in the gardens.

The next two summers, Mary didn't come home. The first summer she missed was because she had fallen ill and was put in the hospital in London for three months. Mr. Craven and the boys came to visit her, but she wasn't herself, mostly sleeping or sniffling. The summer after that, the girls in Mary's year at the finishing school were treated to a trip to France, to practice their studies in the language.

Now, four years later and graduated from her refining school, sixteen year old Mary was a lady. A lady who was making a very unladylike growling noise from the back of the carriage. She was just starting to see a glimpse of Misselthwaite. How much longer!

-----

Dickon sat back down on the steps leading up to his new home. Once he'd turned sixteen, Mr. Craven requested that he take up residence in the estate. After all, Dickon was like a second son to the master of the house. Dickon's mother was reluctant, repeating that no common Yorkshire boy would fit in with the upbeat folks of Misselthwaite, but she finally decided to let her son loose. After all, Dickon was practically a man now. She was ecstatic that he was receiving a top notch education, even though she didn't think that it was absolutely necessary.

So, Dickon took up residence in the manor. He ate with the family, studied with the son, played billiards with the father, and slept in the guest beds. Yet, Dickon was still the free-spirited Yorkshire boy from the moors. When ever he wasn't being tutored, he was in the garden. In _her_ garden. Dickon had promised his tear-faced Mary that he'd take care of the garden. He'd of taken care of it even if she hadn't made him promise. He loved that garden.

Colin, on the other hand, was too absorbed with his horses and fashion. He'd turned from a spoiled little invalid, to a spoiled little healthy heir. Without Mary's constant guidance, Colin had slowly drifted into the town's society and become very snobbish. Dickon wasn't one to intervene. Sure, Colin was one of his best friends, but Dickon knew only two people would successfully be able to stop Colin. Those two people were Mary, and Mr. Craven.

Dickon stood up again and paced back and forth.

"Settle thyself dear brother. Miss Mary 'ill be 'ere in good time," Martha said softly, and rested a hand on her brother's shoulder. Although Dickon's pacing was nothing to Colin's constant complaining and stomping around, Martha was well aware that her brother was quite anxious to see Mary.

At long last, a carriage was seen coming over the hill.

"It's her! It's her! Dickon, Martha, Father! It's Mary!" Colin cried, and started to run towards the carriage.

"Dear lord child! You're going to fall and break your neck with that running," Mrs. Metlock half-heartedly scolded him; she too was smiling at the sight of the carriage.

Dickon had stopped his pacing at stared at the carriage as it pulled in and stopped. Colin was already whipping open the door and pulling a gloved hand out.

"Mary! Good lord, hurry up! I want to give you a hug!" Colin cried, laughing.

Finally, a green shoe emerged from the carriage, followed by a very green dress, followed by... Dickon let out a small gasp. Mary!

-----

Mary held in her yelp of joy at seeing her cousin's head appear at the carriage door. My, how he'd grown! His face had certainly filled out, and there were traces of facial hair. His shoulders had gotten wider, and he was much heartier than she remembered. She let out a laugh as Colin complained about her slowness. Well, he hadn't changed much.

Mary emerged from the carriage, and was immediately swarmed by her uncle, Martha, and Mrs. Metlock. Mary heartedly greeted her family and friends, hugging them all, but her eyes were still searching. Where on earth was he!

"Miss Mary, he's just o'er there!" Martha whispered in her ear, and Mary turned to see Dickon standing a few paces back. Mary let out a gasp. Dickon! Mary had known that Dickon had taken up residence at Misslethwaite; she'd been exchanging letters with him, as well as Colin. Perhaps she just assumed that he'd still wear the same common clothes, still have dirt smeared on his cheek. No, this Dickon was finely polished. There was no dirt to be seen, his clothes spotless. He was wearing the attire of a first class man. He'd grown! He was at least six ft two, and my, what muscles. Mary's eyes examined her friend, and finally brought her gaze up to his face. He'd lost almost all of his baby fat, but his eyes were what Mary most wanted to see.

His sky blue gaze met her gaze just as strongly, and they searched each other's eyes. Mary let out a sigh. He was still the same. She could still see the bit of Magic in his eyes. The magic that held his undying love for his creatures, the magic that made anything grow that he touched, and the magic that she had come to love about him.

"Dickon!" she exclaimed, and rushed over to him, giving him a big hug.

"Miss Mary. I thought tha'd never be back wi' us," Dickon replied, giving her a hug back, and then pulling her away, taking her hands. "It's been mighty dull workin' in our garden wi'out thyself helpin'" he said, laughter in his voice.

Mary looked down at his hands. Even though the rest of him was spotless, his hands were still stained with dirt. This made her smile.

Oh, the garden! I hope you and Colin have taken good care of it!" Mary exclaimed.

"Oh, of course we did Mary! Dickon and I were out there everyday, to be sure. You can expect to see not one weed in the entire garden!" Colin announced, taking his cousin's hands away from Dickon's and wrapping her arm through his elbow. "Come now, let us go inside. I'm anxious to hear first hand about your trip home."

Mary smiled at her cousin, and looked over to Dickon. His face was smiling, but his eyes weren't. "I think, perhaps, that I'll go up to my rooms first. I'm tired from my trip. Don't worry Colin; you'll hear my story countless times now that I'm home. Martha," Mary said, turning from her cousin to her friend and maid, "Let us go and unpack my things."

"Right away Miss Mary. I'll be likin' to see all o' the new dresses tha mun got whilst tha were away!" Martha exclaimed, and led Mary into the house.

Colin looked more than a little upset. "Why on earth would she want to rest now? She just came home! She's said barely two words to me! How dare she," he whined.

"Come now son. She's just come all the way from London. Give her a chance to catch her breath. You'll leave her alone until she's ready to come down. Why don't you and Dickon go for a ride?" Mr. Craven said, looking exasperated with his son.

"Oh all right. Come Dickon. We can have a race. I feel as if today is the day that I'll outride you," Colin boasted.

"Perhaps tis the day. There's a bit o' magic in the air. Or, perhaps it's cause Miss Mary 'as returned to us. No, I think I'll take a walk in the gardens instead," Dickon said slowly, ready to hear Colin's complaint.

"A walk? Why take a walk when you can ride? You've sensed it. You've sensed the magic in the air. Don't chicken out there Dickon," Colin complained loudly.

"Aye, I've sensed it. We can ride later, we can. We'll 'ave Miss Mary join us. Then, she can see tha beat me in a race," Dickon said smiling. He knew Colin wouldn't turn this down. He loved to show off.

"Capital. Capital idea! Yes, I think I'll go for a ride now anyways; get myself stretched. You go run along to your gardens now Dickon," Colin said, turning away and walking towards the stable.

Smiling to himself, Dickon began to walk to the garden.


	2. Chapter Two

Mary gazed out of her bedroom window smiling. It was good to be back. It seemed like she'd only been away for a day or two, well, except the fact that her two best friends were now very much grown. Dickon, at eighteen, was a man. She was very surprised at the changes in him. Well, the physical changes. For what she had witnessed, he was still the same inside, if not a little smarter.

Mary turned at the sound of Martha gasping over another of Mary's new dresses. "Miss Mary! This here gown mun be the prettiest o' them all! Tha mun wear this tonight for dinner," she exclaimed, holding the pink and white dress between her hands.

"I bought that in France. It was the only one I actually liked. The French have such an odd taste in fashion. The other girls went positively crazy in the shops, having every style in every color made. I don't know _when_ they'll ever wear them all. No, I just bought that one. Well, and this one," Mary said as she opened an unopened trunk and pulled out a neatly wrapped box. "I had this one made for you Martha. I..." she stuttered, "I wanted to thank you for putting up with me all these years. I know I haven't been the easiest person to wait upon. Well, here," she finished quickly and gave the box to Martha.

Martha, with a surprised look on her face, looked from Mary to the box in her hands. "Oh Miss Mary, tha shouldn't o'" she said, tears welling up in her eyes. Slowly, she unwrapped the box and took off the lid. Martha gasped. "Miss Mary! Oh!" she exclaimed as she pulled out a beautiful white lace gown. There were beads sewn in everywhere, and they sparkled in the light. Martha stood up and held the dress up to herself, observing herself in the mirror. "Oh Miss Mary. I...I...I don't know _when_ or where I'd ever be able to wear this. It's so beautiful!" Martha said between laughs and sobs, pulling Mary to her and giving her the biggest hug Mary had ever received in her life.

"Yes, well, I thought you might like it," Mary said smiling. "The girls thought I was crazy, when I told them I was having it made for a maid."

Martha looked down at her shoes when Mary said this, and Mary could see a blush coming over her cheeks. "I didn't like those girls. They were so...so..." Mary paused, trying to think of a word. "Contrary! Snobbish! Mean! Two-faced! I hated it. They were so different from us Martha. All they thought of was money, and catching a husband. It was pure punishment, and you're very lucky I don't have to go back there for another year, because you can be sure I'll throw the exact same fit I threw when I was twelve. You'd have to drag me back!" Mary said heatedly.

Martha let out a laugh. "To be honest Miss Mary, Dickon and I were quite amused with the thought o' tha goin' away with all those other lasses. We thought tha'd be sent back the first week with a letter sayin' tha were much too stubborn to teach!"

This brought a smile to Mary's face. "Yes, well I sure put up a fuss the first couple of weeks. I suppose I just gave up on the hope that Colin and Dickon would come and save me, so I decided to make the most of it," Mary sighed.

"Oh tha can be sure Master Colin wanted to come to tha's rescue. That's why Master Craven first learned to ride, did tha know? He vowed he'd learn to ride a horse well enou' to ride it to London to fetch tha up and bring tha back home where tha belonged," Martha laughed.

Mary and Martha talked for a good two hours before the clock rang four, and they reluctantly got up from the table and began to get Mary ready for dinner. Martha fashioned Mary's hair in long ringlets held back by a beautiful white and pink comb, and fastened her into the white and pink dress that she had exclaimed over before. It took about an hour, but Mary was finally ready to make her appearance at the dinner table.

------

Mary entered the dining hall, noticing that only her uncle and Dickon were seated. "Hello uncle. Dickon," Mary greeted them, curtseying and then taking a seat across from Dickon. She looked up to his face, noticing a dirt smudge on his right cheek. Mary pointedly rubbed her own right cheek while staring at him. Dickon caught on and quickly rubbed off the bit of earth on his face. Mary smiled. He'd been out in the garden.

"Where's Colin?" Mary asked, looking to her uncle.

"Still getting ready. He came in about five minutes ago from riding," Mr. Craven said slowly. "Mary, I'm truly glad you're back. Perhaps you can put Colin back in his place. I sure can't. He has no thought in the world except riding and fashion. Well, and you," her uncle told her, saying the last bit softly.

Mary's eyes took in the small smile on her uncle's lips, and the loss of smile on Dickon's. _What did he mean?_ Mary was just about to ask for a further explanation when Colin bustled into the dining hall. "So sorry I'm late. I went a little too far from the manor. Father. Dickon. Mary," Colin said, nodding his head to the three.

At once, the servants came in and set the food on the table, and an easy conversation was started about Mary's experience in London. For the most part, Mary lied through her teeth. She answered all questions with answers she knew would please her uncle. She wouldn't dare speak of her actual opinion on the school, or the people with whom she had to spend every day with. Her uncle merely nodded his head, looking pleased, and Colin looked very bored with such answers.

"But surely Mary. There must of been_ something_ ill about the place," he'd whine, wanting to hear something amusing, but was only responded with, "I found it perfectly acceptable."

Dickon, on the other hand, had a slight frown on his face, and Mary refused to make eye contact with him. She knew he could read her like a book, and she refused to take in the look of knowing that would surely be plastered on his face. She also knew that he wouldn't dare say anything. No, Dickon would keep it to himself, and would wait until _she_ felt the need to talk about it.

After dinner, Colin decided to bring up Dickon's idea. "Mary. How would you like to join Dickon and me for a ride? I can ride quite well, you know. I dare say I'm as good as Dickon, if not better."

"Now, now son. I dare say Dickon is one of the best horsemen I've ever seen. Perhaps in time, son. In time," Mr. Craven laughed, throwing a knowing look at Dickon. It was a known fact at Misselthwaite that Dickon was much better on a horse than Colin.

"A ride? That sounds delightful, but I'd rather hoped we could visit the garden. It's been so long," Mary said softly.

"The garden? What _is_ it with you two and putting off riding for the garden? Besides, we can all spend all of tomorrow in the garden. I want to _ride_ tonight!" Colin whined, and instead of arguing like she would of before, Mary finally agreed.

"Capital. Capital," Colin said, taking Mary by the hand and leading her to the stables, Dickon close behind. Once inside, Mary was hit with the smell of hay and horse. She didn't much care for the smell. Colin dragged her over to a beautiful tanned palomino horse. "This," Colin started, gesturing to the creature, "is India. I had father buy her as a coming home present for you. I thought you might like her."

Mary gasped. "For me? She's beautiful. Thank you Colin," Mary said, planting a friendly kiss on Colin's cheek, the way she was taught at school. Colin blushed, and turned away from her to untie India. "Well, here you are. Dickon, you can get her ready while I go and get Magic ready," Colin announced, walking over to a pitch black horse.

Dickon expertly got India saddled up and led her out front. "Here tha are Miss Mary. I'll be goin to get Cloud," Dickon smiled, and went back in to get his own, white horse.

Colin came out then, already sitting on his own horse. "This," Colin said, patting his horse affectionately, "is Magic. I thought it was a fitting name."

"He's lovely. The color of the night sky!" Mary said, gazing at the horse. "And he," Mary said, looking over to Dickon and the white horse following, "is as white as a fluffy, Yorkshire cloud. I see why you named him."

Dickon smiled widely at this, and walked over to her. "I said exactly that when I saw him, I did," Dickon said, and wrapped his arms around her waist. Mary let out a gasp, "Dickon!" Dickon smiled down into her own very wide eyes, and lifted her up and onto India. "Thought tha might need some help," he chuckled, and mounted Cloud.

Mary's heart was beating a mile a minute. What _had_ she expected when he'd grabbed her? Mary was quite confused at her reaction. He'd held her like that all the time when they were younger. Rolling around on the moors, climbing trees, and who knows what else? Yet, Mary had never felt the feeling in her stomach as she felt now. It felt as if flowers from the garden were growing inside of her, and blooming at the same time. Stubbornly, Mary decided it was only from being shocked. Nothing else.

"Come now, let us race!" Colin shouted, and stopped. "From here, to that path going through the moor!"

"Oh, I, I don't know if I could. Riding side saddle is much harder than you think!" Mary exclaimed. She reflected on the time at finishing school when they were teaching the girls how to ride side saddle. She'd fallen off a good two times.

"Oh fine then. You go ride up to the finishing line, and you can watch to see who wins," Colin announced, and watched as Mary quickly rode over to the path.

"Are you ready to lose Dickon? Just think of what Mary will think of you when you come in second. No, just think of what she will think of me when I win? I dare say, she might even give me another kiss!" Colin laughed.

The usual smile in Dickon's eyes vanished, and he turned away from his friend and stared at Mary, ready for her to give the signal to start.

Mary waved her arms, signaling the start. Colin and Dickon respectably kicked their horses into gear, and took off towards their friend. Dickon instantly raced in front of Colin, leaving him a few paces behind. Colin, surprised, tried to make up the ground between them, but every time he got any closer, Dickon went faster. _Since when has Dickon been able to ride like that?_

It was fair to say that Colin had always been annoying. Dickon knew that, but he let it slide. After all, Colin had been an invalid, and was used to not having to watch his manners. Dickon had set up a sort of barrier against Colin, to stop anything from annoying him. He'd thought that the barrier worked, until just now. He wasn't sure why, but when Colin challenged him with Mary. Something inside his stomach exploded, and if it was anyone else besides Dickon, they'd of known that the feeling was jealousy.

Dickon was used to letting Colin tie with him, never win, just tie. He'd ride a bit slower than he was capable of, so that Colin was always directly behind. He was sure that Colin wouldn't take a good beating well, so he always evened it out.

Now, Dickon wanted to win. Now, for the first time, Dickon didn't care how Colin would react. All he cared about was Mary, who was a few yards away. She was jumping up and down, cheering both of them on, a flush on her cheeks from the exercise.

Dickon passed her, slowed down, and dismounted. He turned around to see Colin _just_ pulling in, looking extremely put down, and startled.

"Dickon! Wow! I don't think I've _ever_ seen riding like that!" Mary exclaimed running towards her friend and giving him a congratulatory kiss on his cheek.

Dickon looked over to Colin. The rajah wore a great scowl on his face. He _really_ didn't take defeat well.

"Oh Colin! You put up _such_ a good fight! I didn't know you could ride so well!" Mary offered, patting her cousin on the back.

Colin calmed down a bit at his cousins touch, yet he still shot daggers at Dickon with his eyes. Mary noticed this.

"Now Colin. You wanted to race Dickon. So you raced him, and you lost. Now you can either be a bad sport about it and make us all miserable, or you can accept your loss, and try harder next time!" Mary then walked from her cousin and up to India, giving Dickon a sweet smile.

"Some help Miss Mary?" Dickon asked knowingly, and lifter her up and on to her horse.

"There, that's better. Let's see how you two handle losing to a girl!" Mary laughed, and took off with India, leaving a stunned Colin, and a smiling Dickon behind.


End file.
